Job 35-36
King James Version
35 Elihu spake moreover, and said,
2 Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God's?
3 For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?
4 I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.
5 Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.
6 If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?
7 If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?
8 Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.
9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.
10 But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;
11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?
12 There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.
13 Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
14 Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him.
15 But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity:
16 Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.
36 Elihu also proceeded, and said,
2 Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf.
3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.
6 He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.
7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.
8 And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;
9 Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.
10 He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
12 But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
13 But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.
14 They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
15 He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.
16 Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.
17 But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.
18 Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.
19 Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.
20 Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?
23 Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?
24 Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.
25 Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.
26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
27 For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:
28 Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.
29 Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
30 Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
31 For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.
32 With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.
33 The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
Job 35-36
1599 Geneva Bible
35 6 Neither doth godliness profit, or ungodliness hurt God, but man. 13 The wicked cry unto God and are not heard.
1 Elihu spake moreover, and said,
2 Thinkest thou this right, that thou hast said, I am [a]more righteous than God?
3 For thou hast said, What profiteth it thee, and what availeth it me, to purge me from my sin?
4 Therefore will I answer thee, and thy [b]companions with thee.
5 Look unto the heaven, and see and behold the [c]clouds which are higher than thou.
6 If thou sinnest, what doest thou [d]against him, yea, when thy sins be many, what doest thou unto him?
7 If thou be righteous, what givest thou unto him? or what receiveth he at thine hand?
8 Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art: and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.
9 They cause many that are oppressed, [e]to cry, which cry out for the violence of the mighty.
10 But none saith, Where is God that made me, which giveth songs in the night?
11 Which teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and giveth us more wisdom than the fowls of the heaven.
12 Then they cry because of the violence of the wicked, [f]but he answereth not.
13 Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
14 Although thou sayest to God, Thou wilt not regard it, [g]yet judgment is before him: trust thou in him.
15 But now because his anger hath not visited, nor called to count the evil with great extremity,
16 Therefore Job [h]openeth his mouth in vain, and multiplieth words without knowledge.
36 1 Elihu showeth the power of God. 6 And his justice. 9 And wherefore he punisheth. 13 The property of the wicked.
1 Elihu also proceeded and said,
2 Suffer me a little and I will instruct thee: for I have yet to speak on God’s behalf.
3 I will fetch [i]my knowledge afar off, and will attribute righteousness unto my maker.
4 For truly my words shall not be false, and he that is [j]perfect in knowledge, speaketh with thee.
5 Behold, the mighty God casteth away none that is [k]mighty and valiant of courage.
6 He [l]maintaineth not the wicked, but he giveth judgment to the afflicted.
7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous, but they are with [m]kings in the throne, where he placeth them forever: thus they are exalted.
8 And if they be bound in fetters and tied with the cords of affliction,
9 Then will he show them their [n]work and their sins, because they have been proud.
10 He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth them that they return from iniquity.
11 (A)If they obey and serve him, they shall end their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures:
12 But if they will not obey, they shall pass by the sword and perish [o]without knowledge.
13 But the hypocrites [p]of heart increase the wrath: for they [q]call not when he bindeth them.
14 Their soul dieth in [r]youth, and their life among the whoremongers.
15 He delivereth the poor in his afflictions, and openeth their ear in trouble.
16 Even so would he have taken thee out of the straight place into a broad place, and not shut up beneath: and [s]that which resteth upon thy table had been full of fat.
17 But thou art full of the [t]judgment of the wicked, though judgment and equity maintain all things.
18 [u]For God’s wrath is, lest he should take thee away in thine abundance: for no multitude of gifts can deliver thee.
19 Will he regard thy riches? he regardeth not gold, nor all them that excel in strength.
20 [v]Be not careful in the night, how he destroyeth the people out of their place.
21 Take thou heed: look not to [w]iniquity: for thou hast chosen it rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God exalteth by his power: what teacher is like him?
23 Who hath appointed to him his way? or who can say, Thou hast done wickedly?
24 Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.
25 All men see it, and men behold it [x]afar off.
26 Behold, God is excellent, [y]and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
27 When he restraineth the drops of water, the rain [z]poureth down by the vapor thereof,
28 Which rain the clouds do drop and let fall abundantly upon man.
29 Who can know the divisions of the clouds, and the thunders of his [aa]Tabernacle?
30 Behold, he spreadeth his light upon [ab]it, and covereth the [ac]bottom of the sea.
31 For thereby he judgeth [ad]the people, and giveth meat abundantly.
32 He covereth the light with the clouds, and commanded them to go [ae]against it.
33 [af]His companion showeth him therefore, and there is anger in rising up.
Footnotes
- Job 35:2 Job never spake these words: but because he maintained his innocence, it seemed as though he would say, that God tormented him without just cause.
- Job 35:4 Such as are in the like error.
- Job 35:5 If thou canst not control the clouds, wilt thou presume to instruct God?
- Job 35:6 Neither doth thy sin hurt God, nor thy justice profit him: for he will be glorified without thee.
- Job 35:9 The wicked may hurt man and cause him to cry, who if he sought to God which sendeth comfort should be delivered.
- Job 35:12 Because they pray not in faith, as feeling God’s mercies.
- Job 35:14 God is just, howsoever thou judgest of him.
- Job 35:16 For if he did punish thee as thou deservest, thou shouldest not be able to open thy mouth.
- Job 36:3 He showeth that when we speak of God, we must lift up our spirits more high, than our natural sense is able to reach.
- Job 36:4 Thou shalt perceive that I am a faithful instructor, and that I speak to thee in the name of God.
- Job 36:5 Strong and constant, and of understanding: for these are the gifts of God, and he loveth them in man: but forasmuch as God punished now Job, it is a sign that these are not in him.
- Job 36:6 Therefore he will not preserve the wicked: but to the humble and afflicted heart he will show grace.
- Job 36:7 He preferreth the godly to honor.
- Job 36:9 He will move their hearts to feel their sins that they may come to him by repentance as he did Manasseh.
- Job 36:12 That is, in their folly or obstination, and so shall be cause of their own destruction.
- Job 36:13 Which are maliciously bent against God, and flatter themselves in their vices.
- Job 36:13 When they are in affliction, they seek not to God for succor, as Asa in 2 Chron. 16:12; Rev.16:11.
- Job 36:14 They die of some vile death, and that before they come to age.
- Job 36:16 If thou hadst been obedient to God, he would have brought thee to liberty and wealth.
- Job 36:17 Thou art altogether after the manner of the wicked: for thou dost murmur against the justice of God.
- Job 36:18 God doth punish thee, lest thou shouldest forget God in thy wealth and so perish.
- Job 36:20 Be not thou curious in seeking the cause of God’s judgments, when he destroyeth any.
- Job 36:21 And so murmur against God through impatience.
- Job 36:25 The works of God are so manifest, that a man may see them afar off, and know God by the same.
- Job 36:26 Our infirmity hindereth us so, that we cannot attain to the perfect knowledge of God.
- Job 36:27 That is, the rain cometh of those drops of water, which he keepeth in the clouds.
- Job 36:29 Meaning, of the clouds, which he calleth the Tabernacle of God.
- Job 36:30 Upon the cloud.
- Job 36:30 That men cannot come to the knowledge of the springs thereof.
- Job 36:31 He showeth that the rain hath double use: the one that it declareth God’s judgments, when it doth overflow any places, and the other that it maketh the land fruitful.
- Job 36:32 That is, one cloud to dash against another.
- Job 36:33 The cold vapor showeth him: that is, the cloud of the hot exhalation, which being taken in the cold cloud mounteth up toward the place where the fire is, and so anger is engendered: that is, noise, and thunderclaps.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
